Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service should continue to provide three full accident and emergency ambulances 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in Badenoch and Strathspey; whether a decision to provide such a service is a matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service; whether the Executive's targets in respect of response times would require the maintenance of three full accident and emergency ambulances; whether such targets would require the continuance of the service by means of a full accident and emergency ambulance rather than a car or small van acting as a rapid response unit and incapable of carrying patients, and whether such a rapid response unit is defined as an ambulance.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is for the Scottish Ambulance Service to determine how best to deploy the ambulance resources to achieve the response time standards agreed with the Scottish Executive. The eight minute response time target for Category A (life-threatening) calls that is the key benchmark for priority based dispatch can be met in two ways. An accident and emergency (A&E) unit arriving at the incident within eight minutes of the call is an achievement of the target. Alternatively where a rapid response unit is dispatched arrives within eight minutes and is in turn supported by an A&E unit arriving within 14, 18 or 21 minutes (depending on population density) then the target is also considered to have been achieved.

Asylum Seekers

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive why asylum seekers who have no criminal charges or convictions against them are being held in HM Prison Greenock and who took the decision to detain them.

Cathy Jamieson: Under the UK Immigration Act 1971 Schedule 2 and paragraph 3(1)(d) of the 2001 Direction (Places of Detention), the UK Immigration Services may request the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to accept or retain Immigration Act detainees who are unsuitable for placement in the Immigration Service Detention Estate for reasons such as national security, criminality, security or control. There is a protocol between the UK Immigration Services and the SPS, which contains strict criteria for when the use of Scottish prisons for Immigration Act detainees is required.

  In accordance with the act, the direction and the protocol with the Immigration Service, the SPS took the decision to accept the detainees.

Benefits

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, as part of its anti-poverty policies, it has any role or responsibility in respect of publishing information on reserved matters such as entitlement to benefits and, if so, what that role or responsibility is and, in particular, whether it has any such role or responsibility in respect of people in receipt of health care.

Ms Margaret Curran: Benefits are a reserved matter and general responsibility for publishing information on entitlement therefore lies with the UK Government. However, as part of the Executive’s communications with the public on related matters, including health care, we alert groups with specific support needs to financial support, including benefits that may be available to them. This is generally done by signposting people to more appropriate sources of advice.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for Scotland's economic growth being lower than the rest of the United Kingdom and what new steps it will take to remedy the situation.

Mr Jim Wallace: From 1998 to 2000 there was a significant gap of growth rates between the UK and Scotland. This gap narrowed from 2001, and in 2002 Scotland actually recorded a higher growth rate than the UK. In 2003, the rate of expansion in Scotland lagged that of the UK by 0.1 percentage points. From 2000 Q3 to 2003 Q3 Electrical and Instrument Engineering declined by 39 per cent, which, despite the strong performance of the service sector, had a measurable impact on growth.

  The recently published Framework for Economic Development in Scotland (FEDS) points out that an increase in our economic growth rate will be secured through sustained increases in our competitiveness in international and domestic markets. This competitive edge will itself fundamentally depend on raising the underlying productivity of both our enterprises and of our public sector. As outlined in FEDS, the Executive’s efforts to raise productivity centre on education and raising skills in the workforce, improving public infrastructure, fostering entrepreneurial dynamism, supporting innovation and investment in research and development, and increasing the effectiveness in the management of public sector resources.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of recent adjustments to its Corporate Sector Tables, it will restate the data from earlier years to allow comparison with more recent data which no longer include NHS primary and acute care as private sector activity.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has announced on 2 July 2003 its decision to classify NHS trusts as central government, in order to make the coding consistent with international conventions.

  The Scottish Executive has taken the decision not to re-calculate previously published Corporate Sector data. The reasons for this are:

  1. A table is already provided that shows statistics for the whole economy, Table A at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ETLLD/EI/00018389/page1123668026.aspx.

  2. Re-calculating the figures would make them inconsistent with ONS figures for Scotland for the same period

  3. Corporate Sector Statistics for registered enterprises directly reflect the content of the Interdepartmental Business Register; there is no estimation involved. Re-analysing previous data according to current coding conventions would in some cases compromise confidentiality constraints.

  The table below shows the number of enterprises and associated employment, affected by the classification decision, by legal status.

  

Year
Public Corporation
Central Government


Enterprises*
Employment
Enterprises*
Employment


1998
45
 121,270 
10
*


1999
30
 126,720 
10
*


2000
30
 136,570 
5
*


2001
15
*
20
*


2002
20
*
20
*


2003
0
*
35
 155,910 



  Note:*Counts have been rounded to the nearest five.

  The Scottish Executive is bound by ONS rules not to publish data where there are less than 20 associated enterprises.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any publicly funded entities and/or jobs are included under private sector activity in its Corporate Sector Tables.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Corporate Sector Statistics are based on extracts of the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) provided to us by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

  The database holds information on legal status (including whether an entity is part of central or local government). It does not hold information on sources of funding so it is not possible to say how many of the entities and/or jobs included under private sector activity in the Scottish Corporate Sector tables receive public funding.

Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will produce an analysis of goods and services purchased by Scottish Enterprise in respect of (a) printing, (b) construction, including PFI/PPP projects, (c) ICT, (d) public relations, (e) advertising, (f) recruitment, (g) consultancy and (h) audit and accountancy in each year from 1999 to 2003, broken down into how much was paid to (i) companies headquartered in the United Kingdom with no Scottish branch, (ii) companies headquartered in the United Kingdom with a Scottish branch and (iii) autonomous Scottish businesses.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will produce an analysis of goods and services purchased by Highlands and Islands Enterprise in respect of (a) printing, (b) construction, including PFI/PPP projects, (c) ICT, (d) public relations, (e) advertising, (f) recruitment, (g) consultancy and (h) audit and accountancy in each year from 1999 to 2003, broken down into how much was paid to (i) companies headquartered in the United Kingdom with no Scottish branch, (ii) companies headquartered in the United Kingdom with a Scottish branch and (iii) autonomous Scottish businesses.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Ferry Services

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is prepared to reallocate the funding that it has made available to Argyll and Bute Council for building slipways on the Luing ferry route for building a bridge.

Nicol Stephen: The conditions of award for the slipway project could be varied, provided Argyll and Bute Council presented an appropriate business case for a bridge. The council has however given no indication that it intends to request this.

Fire Service

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take as a result of the Mott MacDonald report, The Future of Fire Service Control Rooms in Scotland .

Cathy Jamieson: The report recommended a reduction in the number of control rooms, from the present eight to one, two or three. We issued the report for consultation on 8 July, and asked for responses by the end of August. We are currently considering the responses we have received and we will be making an announcement in due course. At this stage, no final decision has been taken on the recommendations in the report.

Fishing

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to ensure that Loch Katrine remains one of Scotland's most desirable fishing areas.

Ross Finnie: Loch Katrine, the main raw water source for Glasgow’s drinking water supply, is owned by Scottish Water. It is for Scottish Water to determine how best to manage sport and leisure interests on the loch consistent with it fulfilling its primary function.

Fishing

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct Scottish Water not to lease out the fishing rights on Loch Katrine, Loch Arklet and Glen Finglas reservoir to a private company.

Ross Finnie: No. This is an operational matter for Scottish Water.

Further Education

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the Scottish Further Education Funding Council acts with due propriety in carrying out investigations into the conduct of further education institutions.

Jim Wallace: Yes, the Scottish Executive is satisfied that the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) acts with due propriety in carrying out such investigations. I expect the SFEFC to use its professional expertise and judgement in determining what investigations may be necessary into the conduct of a college of further education.

Further Education

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that all investigations conducted by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council are carried out without any conflict of interest for those conducting such investigations.

Jim Wallace: Yes, the Scottish Executive is satisfied that investigations are conducted by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) in a way which avoids any conflict of interest. The SFEFC has an internal complaints procedure for investigating complaints. If the complainant remains dissatisfied after the SFEFC’s procedure has been exhausted, they may take the complaint to the independent Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Further Education Colleges

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the board of the Central College of Commerce in Glasgow has not implemented the recommendations of an industrial tribunal to reinstate the National President of the Further Education Lecturers’ Association of the Educational Institute of Scotland who the tribunal found had been unfairly dismissed and how much money was spent from the college budget in legal advice and representation at the tribunal.

Mr Jim Wallace: Further education colleges are autonomous bodies in terms of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992. Employment issues, and any related expenditure, are therefore matters for the colleges themselves. However, I do expect management and trade unions within colleges to promote good industrial relations in order to ensure the continuing efficient and effective delivery of further education to students.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive why Bayer CropScience was not prosecuted for any recent breaches of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) (Scotland) Regulations 2002 following any incidents at Daviot and Newport-on-Tay when genetically modified organisms were released for which no release consent was held.

Allan Wilson: A thorough investigation into the incidents referred to was undertaken by the Executive’s GM Inspectorate. The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment was also asked for its advice and confirmed that the additional GM elements did not represent an increased risk of harm to human health or the environment. A report of this investigation was produced and submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

  Decisions on whether to initiate prosecution proceedings are taken independently by the Procurator Fiscal.

Housing

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available for the building of houses to rent in areas where there are shortages of affordable housing, such as the Scottish Borders.

Ms Margaret Curran: The main support is provided through the Communities Scotland development programme. In 2004-05 this will invest £264 million in affordable housing resulting in 5,350 new or improved homes.

  In addition, I announced in July an extra £20 million for 2004-05 to accelerate affordable housing supply in areas experiencing shortfalls. In the Scottish Borders, the additional funding will enable housing association purchases of sites for the building of an extra 90 homes for rent and low-cost home ownership.

Housing

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the right to buy legislation for local authority housing.

Ms Margaret Curran: There are no plans to review the right to buy legislation. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 requires Scottish ministers to publish a report on the effects of the right to buy by September 2006.

Housing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has about the practice of private investors approaching council house tenants, in particular elderly tenants, and offering to buy their homes with a view to making large profits upon resale.

Ms Margaret Curran: It is not illegal for private investors to encourage tenants to buy their homes under the right to buy. However, there are complaints procedures available to tenants through local Trading Standards offices if they have any concerns about the practice.

  The Executive provides advice and guidance to tenants thinking about exercising their right to buy, in the booklet Your Right to Buy Your Home. This helps to protect tenants by advising them to give serious consideration to the purchase, and recommending they seek professional advice before committing to purchase.

Justice

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met COSLA to discuss the work of district courts.

Cathy Jamieson: Scottish Executive Justice Department officials last met with COSLA on 22 June to discuss the work of district courts.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing and implementing the recommendations of the Public Health Institute of Scotland’s Needs Assessment Report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS performance assessment returns show a variable picture of local progress in implementing the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme (SNAP) report.

  The Scottish Executive has been working with the Child Health Support Group and other stakeholders to develop a service framework and will provide support to assist local areas in assessing their services and identifying actions.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how patients will benefit from the implementation of the new out-of-hours proposals in the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: The new out-of-hours services must meet new mandatory accreditation standards drawn up by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to ensure delivery of a safe, quality service.

  NHS boards envisage an integrated, multi-professional team-based approach to ensure that patients will receive an appropriate service responsive to their individual needs.

  These arrangements will also benefit patients by relieving GPs of the burden of continuous out-of-hours responsibility, enabling them to provide a better service overall for their patients.

National Health Service

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Fife regarding accident and emergency services in Fife.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Health Department meets regularly with NHS Fife to discuss a wide range of issues affecting service provision, including accident and emergency services. Officials from the department most recently met with NHS Fife on 6 September to conduct the NHS board’s annual accountability review.

National Health Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met NHS board chairs and what issues were discussed.

Malcolm Chisholm: I meet regularly with the chairs of NHS boards and most recently on 9 August 2004. The issues discussed included the revaluation of the NHS estate, financial position 2004-05, public involvement guidance, 5-in-1 guidance, GMS contract, vCJD, the Efficient Government Initiative, the Department of Health Improvement Plan, direct elections to NHS boards, the National Framework for Service Change and Agenda for Change.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of whether prison governors are entitled to be represented by a trade union of their choice.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is committed to working in partnership with trade unions not only in the justice services but across all it does. Prison governors and other staff members of the Scottish Prison Service are entitled to be members of any trade union of their choice. The interests of prison governors are already represented by one of the recognised trade unions for the purposes of collective bargaining.

Rail Network

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the recent feasibility study report into the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway.

Nicol Stephen: No discussions have been held with City of Edinburgh Council regarding the feasibility study report.

Rail Network

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the reopening of the Bathgate to Airdrie railway line.

Nicol Stephen: The engineering study has been completed and copies are available from West Lothian Council. The Scottish Executive is working with West Lothian Council, North Lanarkshire Council and Strathclyde Passenger Transport to move forward our Partnership Agreement commitment to this important project.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Borders Railway to be operational.

Nicol Stephen: Subject to the successful passage of the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill, the promoters of the Borders Railway estimate that it could be operational by 2008.

Rail Network

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce its conclusions following receipt of the Airdrie to Bathgate rail line engineering feasibility study.

Nicol Stephen: The engineering study has been completed and copies are available from West Lothian Council. The study has confirmed that the railway line proposals are feasible. The Scottish Executive is working with West Lothian Council, North Lanarkshire Council and Strathclyde Passenger Transport to take forward this important project.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what locations have been agreed for junctions on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and where the southern link with the A90 will be sited.

Nicol Stephen: No decisions have been taken on the final location of the junctions or the southern link with the A90.

Smoking

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any further plans to reduce the incidence of disease and death arising from smoking tobacco.

Mr Tom McCabe: In January the Scottish Executive published A Breath of Fresh Air for Scotland , the first ever tobacco control action plan designed specifically for Scotland. The action plan sets out 20 action points covering a wide range of measures to help reduce the incidence of disease and death from smoking tobacco.

Waste Disposal

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9787 by Ross Finnie on 12 August 2004, how many local authorities are enforcing compliance with the Animal By-Products (Scotland) Regulations 2003, with particular reference to raw waste from processing scampi (Nephrops norvegicus).

Ross Finnie: The Executive does not hold specific information on the enforcement approach adopted by each local authority in Scotland. However, as a consequence of the member’s continuing concern, officials have contacted COSLA for additional background information.

  The Executive now understands that currently the level of compliance for the disposal of the by-products of scampi processing is variable due to the lack of suitable disposal facilities in some parts of the country. That position is improving gradually as more facilities are approved to treat this type of waste material.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Live Testing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many MSPs’ staff volunteered to assist with the live testing of facilities at Holyrood.

Mr George Reid: Five.

Live Testing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many MSPs’ staff were invited to participate in the live testing of facilities at Holyrood.

George Reid: None. In April, an email calling for volunteers for live testing was issued in error to all users of the Parliamentary network. As it was always our intention to confine the call to the Scottish Parliamentary Staff Organisation, it was quickly recalled and re-issued accordingly. In the intervening period five staff of MSPs had volunteered. Most of those staff were informed of the error and thanked for their interest.